A Chicago based community support organization is helping ex-cons find work in construction. It's helping place cons in construction jobs. Many motivated ex-cons are able to get craft training and even college coursework while incarcerated. When they get released, they may be pretty skilled and qualified but they obviously have a criminal record. The Plan B Foundation works with former convicts to help place them in jobs they might be qualified for and help them learn skills they need to be qualified. The Foundation partners with ENA, a local labor placement agency to help place qualified individuals in open positions.
These efforts help on two main fronts. Labor is tight in nearly every market so filling open positions is hard to do and Plan B helps fill positions to keep project moving. Another main benefit is helping ex-cons find work. Among the challenges they face when released from prison, finding work and paying bills is at or near the top. With a criminal record, it is hard to find work, then hard to pay bills and then hard to stay out of trouble when trying to get by. Plan B helps ex-cons with job, and even life, skills and gives them a chance to make money and provide for themselves. Good workers are hard to come by so if an ex-con can work hard and perform well, they will likely earn a long term position and living in our industry. When it works right, everyone benefits.
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